Ingie's Reviews > Collide

Written February 5, 2014

3.8 Sweet Stars - nicely told about a missing childhood friend who is your true grand love

The greatest pleasure of all these romances I read is perhaps the variation. One day it's tough hardcore horny men, the next fun insecure nerds. Or why not those books with bossy alpha males with a large furry animal that comes out sometimes. The variation is infinite. - All of them are about finding the big love of your life, getting knocked around in bed (often and everywhere) and to live happy with your loved one.



Yesterday and today I met two ordinary nice guys, one openly gay and the other completely straight. Old childhood friends who were separated and now at thirty meet again.
~ Nice, tender, moderately slow, some very hot moments, and overall, a very ordinary heartwarming good M/M romance. Recommended for a nice read.

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Both Noah and Cooper has a lot of unpleasantness and anxiety-ridden events from their childhood in their luggage. Two disheveled souls with fear to open up and connect. They were for some years the very best friends. They could talk about everything, loved and trust each other. Unfortunately they parted quickly and unexpectedly when Noah's family abruptly left town.

Now, seventeen years later, they take up the thread pretty soon. The Collide story start when Noah is coming back to town to start a furniture carpentry. Already the first hour there he meet (collide), with a big bang, his old dear friend Cooper. Cooper is nowadays a joyful firefighter with an old house and a spare room for rent. Yes, a room to the homeless Noah. - So admirably good, and fortunately for the rest of this story. These two guys are room neighbors within hours.

“You are fucking sexy. I want to taste you, Coop. Are you going to let me kiss you?”

Fortunately, the guy who has become such a good-looking hottie is still single and free. But unfortunately very straight. But Noah, who likes men and always liked Cooper a lot, can not stop to peak...

It is sunny and hot, a firefighter is physically fit. There are bare torsos, lean legs in shorts, joined carpentry on a new patio and two sweaty men ...plus a bonus piercing on Noah.

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Collide is told by both MC's and often switches in POV (sometimes in a confusing way in the middle of a paragraph..). In brief flashbacks are also important events from these boys childhood described. I really liked the tone and narration in this novel. Witty dialogues, fun wrangling and some dirty talk.

One thing that is extremely positive with this story is that these two men were actually talking to each other and explained mostly with words what they felt, brooded on and wanted. Thanks for the great male talking, Ms. Riley!

“I might not have known then what it meant, but I would rather been with you than anyone elso, too, Noah. Always.”

Something I also, but not all M/M readers, usually enjoy, are these Gay For You books. It feels like the ultimate romantic love, when you follow your heart and your desire regardless of gender, etc. Male or female doesn't matter, it is true love and it's your feelings that is the important thing. Oh, that's sooo sweet! ~ And it happens right here in our real, a little grayer, life, as well. I know, I have living proof.

...In addition, it's so d@mn cute when it's all for the first time.

“Shut up. I'm about to touch a naked dick that isn't mine for the first time. Let me do it without you yappin' in my ear.”

Noah and Cooper story is funny, tender and sweet. I sincerely wish them all best luck and a nice and happy (ordinary) life. I feelt with, and for them, and their story is very well told. Not too fast and unbelievable, but in reasonable pace while the time went. ... Still, I have to say; perhaps a little drawn, for me, in the second part. But then suddenly rattled it properly there, the last few pages, and their "nice road" to the happy ending was shaken slightly.

I enjoyed and I'm truly pleased with the whole. Looking forward to read Brandon and Wes' story in the next book, Stay.

I LIKE - nicely nice... a good one!


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A big Thank You! to Lily, my friend who recommended this sweet romance to me back in November last year (Lily's review).